You are invited to join North Pole Dance Studio Technical Challenge, that will take place during the studio party on Wednesday, December 13! Dare to compare your skill set to the technical standards of pole dance!

Here is how it works:

1. Check your level. The Challenge is available in three levels: Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced. If not sure, check with your instructor.
2. Apply for the North Pole Dance Technical Challenge on your level: send an email to [email protected], use live chat on northpole.dance, call 647-547-1578, or talk to your instructor. This challenge is open exclusively to the students of North Pole Dance studio. A $20 participation fee per person applies.
3. Practice your level program described below. Check Challenge videos of the moves on northpole.dance. Work with your instructor to prepare: practice and get more explanation in group classes, practice on your own in Open Pole sessions, ask for a private class if you’d like to polish it further.
4. Join the Challenge on Wednesday, December 13. Get in front of your fellow students and our very own adjudicators and give it your best! Good luck!
5. What matters:
   1. Technically correct moves: posture, grip, use of body weight, etc. max 30 points
   2. Showmanship: smile, energy, etc. max 5 points
   3. Sportsmanship: handling stress, etc. max 5 points

Beginner Level

1. Around the World
2. Fireman
3. Attitude Spin
4. Chair
5. Pole Sit Straight Legs

Intermediate Level

1. Diamond – Chair – Fly Around
2. Pole Sit
3. Outside Leg Hang
4. Spinning Pole – Pull Up
5. Spinning Pole – Inside Leg Spin

Advanced Level

1. Aerial Outside Leg Hang
2. Jade Split
3. Spinning Pole – Straddle Legs
4. Spinning Pole – Shoulder Mount
5. Spinning Pole – Inversion

Good luck!

I did get some questions directly and through your stories about ladies who never tried pole dance before and are interested to know what it is. As a token of appreciation for your support I would like to extend this offer to your friends and followers:

Thanksgiving Special! One week only!
Register for one Pole Dance Beginner class during October 23-29 FOR FREE!
First come, first serve. New customers only. No cash value.

Here is the full list of classes for your convenience:

• 23 Oct, Mo, 10 AM
• 24 Oct, Tue, 7 PM
• 25 Oct, Wed, 11 AM
• 27 Oct, Fri, 8 PM
• 28 Oct, Sat, 10 AM

In order to sign up for a free class, contact North Pole Dance via live chat on the website or contact us via email, phone, or a web form. Please make sure you book your pole at least 24 hours in advance to reserve your pole – we do not practice pole sharing, so the spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

I hope this opportunity will inspire some new passions among your friends!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Taya

I got a phone call from a man who asked lots of questions about North Pole Dance studio. It turned out he wanted to arrange for a surprise birthday evening for his wife, and a private pole dance class would be a part of it. They came to the studio together at the agreed time, and the lady learned on the doorstep, that she was signed up for a pole dance class. She seemed very hesitant, I could tell that this was completely unexpected. They had a brief conversation, and he persuaded her to try the class. At first, the lady was a little tense, and then bit by bit I witnessed full transformation: she seemed to like simple moves she was doing, her eyes lit up more and more, she wanted to repeat what she learned again and again. She said she was very happy with her pole dance hour when she left the studio with her husband to continue her surprise evening.

This made me think again about presents we give to each other. We are all born into this world naked and we don’t bring any things or money with us. This is also how we’ll leave one day: we cannot take things with us to the next level (whatever it looks like). Absolutely all things we have will be of no value to us anymore. Why keep giving each other purses and watches, scarves and more jewelry? Why not give each other excitement of new experiences: skiing, helicopter ride, bungee jumping, theater ticket, pottery class, a trip to a zoo, a trip to a town they’ve never been to yet, laser tag, karate lesson or – may be pole dance or yoga class! The real gift will be an opportunity to discover new things, to get excited, to keep precious memories.

Try something new in your life, whether or not you have a special occasion as a reason! Explore this beautiful world, share the happiness of discovery with others and enjoy!

I wrote this post to make this first step easier for you. The first class in a new activity, such as Pole Dance or Yoga, can be exciting and at the same time a bit scary. Being somewhat apprehensive is normal. You can help yourself to enjoy the beginning of your journey more by investing several minutes into preparation.

Preparation

First, make sure you found studio location on the map, you know how to get here and how much time you need for the road. On our website, you can check pricing and schedule. North Pole Dance studio asks all participants to give at least 24-hour notice for class attendance to secure a spot; you can call us or send us a message on our website. Drop-ins are available when there are open spots, but you would be way better off knowing for sure you will get in, especially if you are coming to the class for the first time.

Come 10 minutes early – you’ll need some time to change, maybe to use a bathroom, pay for your class and – important! – to fill out forms. It is best to print and fill them out at home in advance, and then bring them with you, so that you don’t rush through the information and don’t get even more nervous. Please note: our studio asks you to bring your ID for the first class to make sure you are 18. If you are under 18, we’ll need to talk to your parents and get their agreement for you to participate.

What to wear?

For Pole Dance, the guiding thought is that you will need the contact between your skin and the pole for the whole length of your arms and legs; hence very short stretchy shorts and a T-shirt is a good outfit for a beginner. As you progress with spins and tricks, you will need to shorten your top to allow for the contact between skin and pole in the area of your belly and your back. You don’t need to worry about it in your first class, though. Of note: there are special clothes that will stick to the pole, so if you object to your skin touching the pole, we can help you get that particular outfit – talk to us.

For Yoga or Stretching classes wear comfortable stretchy clothes. If you are sensitive to temperatures, it is best to wear two layers: for when you work hard and for when you rest. Belly Dance class is better attended in lighter comfortable stretchy clothes as you will be moving quite a bit. A special coin belt would be helpful for you to understand movements of your hips; if you don’t own one yet, we offer them for purchase in the studio.

Whatever class you are about to take, the footwear for the first one is… any guesses? Right, none at all! We clean our studio regularly and being barefoot suits the majority of our participants. If you strongly prefer to have something on your feet, a pair of anti-slip yoga socks is a good idea – talk to us if you need help finding them. A spoiler for Pole Dancers: you will be in heels for sure, just allow yourself to learn the basics first. I met more than one beginner in Pole Dance, who were super passionate about dancing in their high heel shoes right away. I persuaded them to practice barefoot until they lay some foundation for their skills. The reasons are very simple: using heels requires a particular strength of ankle and calf muscles to prevent injury as well as certain awareness about your center of gravity to create an appealing move. I’ll help you get there safely in time!

If you think of yoga props, we have them all in our studio: mats, straps, blocks. Of course, you are welcome to bring your own, if you wish to.

HYDRATION is important, have a bottle of water with you.

Creams, lotions, ointments

The best kept secret of pole dance is NOT to wear any creams, lotions or ointments on your arms or legs when you come to the class. Can you guess why? Yes, you can! Our chrome poles will be slipping out of your grip if your skin has above the natural level of fats or moisturizers. This is why we and our participants clean the poles with an alcohol containing solution before and after every class. If you applied your lotion or cream on the day of the class, just shower with soap before coming here and make sure your skin is free of moisturizing products.

Allergies

Very small number of people are allergic to chrome. If you’ve been wearing leather clothes or using green/yellow shades of cosmetics products without any issues, you are very likely not one of them. However, if you happen to have this rare type of allergy, we have good news for you: one of our poles is hypoallergenic, specifically designed in stainless steel for people with chrome allergy. Make sure you mention that you need hypoallergenic pole while booking your spot in a Pole Dance class.

What to expect in the class?

Let’s take a typical Pole Dance class as an example. Every class starts with a warm-up. You want your muscles and ligaments to be ready to work with less risk of injury. The second part is conditioning of main core, leg and arm muscles. Then you will learn and practice elements like spins, steps, grips, and holds, that later will be combined into appealing sequences of moves. This is where every student gets a task according to their level and capacity. At the end of the class, we stretch and cool down.

Now you know how to prepare for your first class. I mentioned planning your trip, 24-hour notice and forms, clothes and footwear, no lotions and a bottle of water, what to expect in the class. There is one thing left to mention, and this is the one that often makes it or breaks it: BRING YOUR OPTIMISM WITH YOU!

Even the greatest was once a beginner. Don’t be afraid to take that first step.

So why pole dance? For me there is no doubt about why, and I’d like to share my biggest reasons with you.

Freedom

Pole dance is a very versatile activity. After you mastered the first few moves, you can start playing with your style. You can be a ballerina and draw classical shapes around the pole. You can turn into an exotic dancer and perform a sequence on high heels shoes. Or you can strive to master precisely timed and perfectly aligned moves, like an Olympian gymnast. There are no rules and no limits, you are the creator of your very own style.

Body

I know I need to take good care of my body: exercise is necessary for both physical and mental health. However gym routines or running do not work for me: I get bored too fast and cannot motivate myself to continue. With pole dance though I have so much fun, that I barely notice how time flies by in the class. Training and conditioning for pole makes all group muscles stronger and more agile. When I would like to achieve a desired line or perform a striking move, I feel super motivated to train and stretch for it. As a result, every day I feel strong, healthy and beautiful. Well, most days.

Friends

The community of pole dancers is a very friendly and supportive group. Although the majority of us perform single, every success gets celebrated as if we were a team. All of us started from simple moves like “Walk around the Pole” or “Fireman”. All of us faced our own challenges progressing to more complicated and beautiful routines. All of us can sincerely appreciate the effort of others on the same journey. Now as I opened my own studio, I see my pole friends being as happy for me as if I were their family. Thank to all of you for your kind words and ongoing support!

Self-esteem

Pole dance taught me one of the most important lessons of my life: many things seem impossible at first, but if you try and work towards it, you can achieve anything. In the beginning of my pole dancing journey I looked at the best pole athletes with admiration and thought: they are so strong, so agile, I don’t think I can do what they are doing. I have a personal belief: in the direction that your fear is growing, you are on the right path. This is exactly what I’ve done – I moved in the direction that challenged me, I practice despite fear, and with time I mastered pretty complicated things. When I face tough situations in my everyday life, I source my inspiration and courage from pole dance. I know: if I consistently invest in working on anything, the results will come.

Now you know why I chose pole dance and why it became such a big part of my life. Here is an idea for you: don’t ask yourself why try pole dancing. Ask yourself: WHY NOT?